Tibetan White Crane

[jdhowland]

Okay, perhaps you could get the ball rolling by telling us about the beginnings of Tibetan White Crane!

Does it owe any of it's beginnings to the Fuzhou variety?

Was it's origins strictly in the realm of Fighting Arts?

No origin story can be verified. The official story is that it began in the fifteenth century during the reign of the third Ming emperor. This tale might be designed to identify some parts of its history with a Han Chinese culture--or it might be simple truth. The "lama" styles were mostly passed down through Hung societies and share a lot of symbolism.

As far as I know, no Chinese system is strictly about fighting. The fighting schools were also political and commercial organizations that supported special groups. Add the religious and cultural trappings and you get a unique group identity.

All of the first three or four generations of teachers in Southern China were known fighters, though. Had to be. Ng Siu Jung no less than the others.